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An Existential Feminist Analysis of Our Lady of Alice Bhatti

Submitted by

Tayyab Ali

Registration No: BSELC 01173037

Thesis submitted to the University of Lahore

In the partial fulfillment for the degree of Bachelor of Science in English Literature

Research Supervisor

Miss Huma Ahmad

Department of English Language and Literature

The University of Lahore

(2017-2021)
 Thesis Approval

This is to clarify that the research work presented in the thesis, entitle “Unveiling The Women’s

Marginalization and Effects of Patriarchy in Muhammad Hanif’s novel Our Lady of Alice Bhatti

(2011) with Existential Feminist Theory” is conducted by Tayyab Ali (BSELC O1173037) under

the supervision of Miss Huma Ahmad.

No part of this thesis has been submitted anywhere else for any other degree. This thesis is

submitted to the department in partial fulfillment for the degree of Bachelor of Science in

English Literature, Department of English Language and Literature, The University of Lahore.

Student Name: Tayyab Ali Signature___________

Supervisor Name: Miss Huma Ahmad Signature___________

Thesis Defence Committee:

…………………………… ………………………….

………………………….... …………………………..

…………………………… ……………………………

Name of Head of Department: Prof. Dr. Saeed-ur-Rehman

 Signature: ______________ Date: _______________

Candidate Declaration Form

I, Tayyab Ali

Son of Shaukat Ali

Registration No: BSELC O1173037

Candidate of Bachelor of Science in English Literature at Department of English Language and

Literature, The University of Lahore do hereby declare that the thesis submitted by me in partial

fulfillment of Bachelor of Science in English titled “Unveiling The Women’s Marginalization

and Effects of Patriarchy in Muhammad Hanif’s novel Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011) with

Existential Feminist Theory” is my own work and has not been submitted previously by me for

taking any degree from anywhere. I also solemnly declare that it shall not, in future, be submitted

by me for obtaining any other degree from any other institute.

At any time if my statement is found to be incorrect even after my graduation, the university has

the right to withdraw my Bachelor of Science in English Degree.

Student Name: Tayyab Ali Signature___________

Date: _______________
 Department of English Language and Literature

Request for the Thesis Submission

Student Name: Tayyab Ali

Registration No: BSELC 01173037

Certifies that all the study requirements of the Bachelor of Science in English Literature program

been met.

Enclosing the hard copy of the thesis duly signed by the supervisor as per the prescribed format

The soft copy has been sent via email to the HOD.

Student Signature ______________

Supervisor Signature _____________

 Acknowledgements

First of all, I am grateful to ALLAH Almighty for bestowing me the opportunity and strength to

complete my courses with excellence. I am thankful to my parents for their support throughout

my curriculum. I also owe a huge debt of thanks to my teachers for their sincere teaching and

guidance throughout the program. I am especially indebted to my friend Menahil Fatima for her

support throughout the whole session. I would like to pay special thanks to her for the moral

support she offered. I also pay thanks to all my class fellows too for their positive behavior in the

class.

Last but not the least I want to render my sincere thanks and a deep gratitude to my benevolent

supervisor Ma’am Huma Ahmed for her support and guidance in my journey of the dissertation.

Without her support and help, it would have been merely a dream to complete my research work.

Her timely reminders, responses, and encouragement kept me alive to this work. I wish her more

success and healthy life ahead.

Tayyab Ali
 Dedicated to:
My Dear Parents

&

My dear friend

Menhail Fatima
 Abstract

This research aims to analyze the women oppression and marginalization in the text Our Lady of

Alice Bhatti (2011). This study presents the situation of women as other or subordinate to men in

the society. Women’s subordination is their oppression, their socio-economic exploitation, and

their marginalization in the male dominant society. This dissertation aims to create a link

between women's oppression and their subordination in the patriarchal society in the light of

existential feminist theory proposed by Simon De Beauvoir (1908). This study reveals that every

perspective related to Alice’s subordination is connected to sexual harassment, physical violence,

discrimination, forced marriage, socio-economic exploitation, marginalization, and negligence in

the social quota. The relevant work on the feministic analysis of other writers is also used as

background knowledge. The research work suggests that women’s subordination and

marginalization can be avoided with education and the change in the behavior of men in the

patriarchal society.
 Table of Contents
Acknowledgements.....................................................................................................................................1
Dedicated to:...............................................................................................................................................2
Abstract.......................................................................................................................................................3
Chapter 1:....................................................................................................................................................6
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................6
1.1 Introduction....................................................................................................................................6
1.2 Background of Study.......................................................................................................................9
1.3 Aims and Objectives......................................................................................................................10
1.4 Research Questions.......................................................................................................................10
1.5 Significance of Research................................................................................................................10
1.6 Delimitation...................................................................................................................................11
1.7 Chapterization...............................................................................................................................11
Chapter 2:..................................................................................................................................................12
Research Methodology..............................................................................................................................12
2.1 Research Design............................................................................................................................12
2.2 Research Tools..............................................................................................................................12
2.3 Theoretical Framework.................................................................................................................12
Chapter 3:..................................................................................................................................................14
Literature Review......................................................................................................................................14
Chapter 4:..................................................................................................................................................19
Discussion..................................................................................................................................................19
Chapter 5:..................................................................................................................................................27
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................27
Bibliography...............................................................................................................................................29
 ALI 1

Chapter 1:

Introduction

1.1 Introduction
Muhammad Hanif was born in November 1964 in the small city of Okara. He has done

his graduation from Pakistan Air Force Academy. He left the air force to become a journalist. He

has written many critical novels on the distorting situation of Pakistani society. Muhammad

Hanif’s most outstanding known book is A Case of Exploding Mangoes (2008). This master

piece has won the Commonwealth Prize for the best book. The second most famous book of

Muhammad Hanif is Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011) that portrays the marginalization of

women, class conflicts, and cultural differences in Pakistani society.

In Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011), the novelist explains the oppression and

subordination of women in Pakistani society. He explores the theme of the worst conditions of

women in the society. Muhammad Hanif discusses those living on the edge of marginality. He

portrays the concept of marginalization, social discrimination, socio-economic crisis through the

character of a young Christian nurse and her Christian community. The oppression of the

protagonist can be interpreted as an example of the marginalization of the women in the

patriarchal society. The author discusses the idea of social discrimination, hate for the

marginalized groups based on religion, caste, and creed.

The whole novel revolves around the character Alice Bhatti who is a young Christian

nurse in a hospital. The novel opens with a Christian nurse who just came out of the jail and went

for an interview in the Sacred Hospital. In this novel, Muhammad Hanif portrays the traditional

customs, norms, and values of the society. It is a story of love between a young Christian nurse
 ALI 2

and a former Mr. Faisalabad, Teddy Butt, who works for Karachi police. In this novel, the author

explains the troubles of the Christian communities through the character of Alice Bhatti. He

explains the misogyny, class conflict, concept of haves and haves-not and their consequences.

Alice is a young Christian girl who has just been released from Brostal prison. She gets a

job at Sacred Heart Hospital for All Ailments of Karachi with the help of Noor her friend at

Borstal jail. She faces many difficulties at the workplace from the beginning. There she faces

sexual harassment and hatred due to her poor social status. At her interview, Alice faces sexual

abuse when the chairman gazes at her breast intending to grab them.

Hina Alvi is a senior nurse at Sacred who assigns the shifts during the duty hours to the

junior staff. She is a kind of self-made woman who never compromises on her domains. Hina

Alvi once assigned the night shift to Alice at the Charya ward where she faced humiliation and

terror of being raped by the psychological patients. Once on her night shift, Alice goes to the

Charya ward where she faces an attempt of rape and eventually Teddy Butt saves her from the

ruthless psycho patients. At this point, Teddy Butt fell in love with Alice Bhatti. He expresses his

love for Alice with a pistol in his hands just to control his feelings and to impress Alice.

The novel shows the society of the current era of Pakistan. In the society patriarchy

dominates and creates troubles for females. Throughout the novel, Alice Bhatti faces many cases

of domestic violence, harassment, and murder of females in the name of honor. The incident

when joseph tells Alice about a girl that he rescued from the drain, shows the condition of

women in the society. Mohammed Hanif explains this condition throughout the novel. He

explains the sexual abuse of women by portraying the incident of Alice's night shift. Alice and
 ALI 3

Noor sleep together during Alice's night shift. Noor stares at her private parts with lust. He

considers Alice's breasts as abandoned puppies and stares at them for a very long time with lust.

The feminist theory with the perspective of existential crisis is deployed to analyze the

text. This theory talks about the rights of women in the society with equity and equality. Simon

De Beauvoir, the most influential writer in terms of individual independence of women is quoted

for references. In her book, The Second Sex (1952) she talks about the existential crisis the

women are facing in the patriarchal society. “One is not born, but rather becomes, woman.”

(Beauvoir 14). This serves as the base for the existential feminists to develop their arguments to

portray the identity crisis of the women in the male dominant society. Existential feminism

portrays the worst conditions of women and also about their subordination in the society. It

explores the idea behind the women’s cultural and social setbacks and they ask for women’s

freedom in the social circle of life.

The existentialism in Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011) is explored by using the views of

Simon De. Beauvoir. She portrays women as other entities and less privileged in the society so is

the case with the protagonist of the primary text, Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011). There is a

close link between the theorist’s and the novelist’s point of view about the identity crisis of the

women in the society. The theoretical framework helps to determine the problems faced by the

characters in the novel.

The synopsis of the novel makes it clear that the writing is about female oppression in the

society. The novelist has written it in such a beautiful way to grab the attention of the readers

without losing their interest.

 ALI 4

1.2 Background of the Study

This study helps to create a better understanding of the women oppression in the society

where male force tends to dominate the community. This research tends to analyze the worst

patriarchal problems existing in any society causing hurdles for women. The patriarchal mindset

is explored in this research. This study shows how women are kept subordinate and how men are

absolute in the society. Historically, feminist theory evolves from the thorough and critical study

of the oppression of sexes and a social approach towards female rights. This approach mainly

talks about the basic rights of women in the society. The feminist movement raises voices for

women's right to vote and other basic rights like education, a secure workplace, and freedom of

expression. According to Susan B. Anthony in “On Women’s Right to Vote”, "It was we, the

people; not we, the white male citizens... who formed the Union.”

This study aims to understand the injustice and inequalities causing problems for women

in the patriarchal society. Feminist activists raise the questions for domestic rights, social justice,

and issues of workplace, discrimination and sexual harassment. According to the common myths

and speculations, feminism is about the women rights of equality with the men. Women should

be given their basic rights as per their will. Charlotte Bronte expresses her feelings in a certain

way. She demands equal rights and freedom to live to her own will. She says that she is not a

bird that can be put in a cage and restrict her freedom.

Feminist theory tends to create a better understanding about the oppression of women and

their treatment in the society from an early age. It helps to create a clear view about the problems

that cause misogyny and about their solutions. Feminists argue to change the concept of

misogyny. The liberal feminists lay stress upon the equal rights for both (genders) males and
 ALI 5

females in the society. They talk about the importance of women’s role in the development of a

society. This approach of the liberal feminist promotes the autonomous rights of the women in

the society. According to Betty Friedan, "Who knows what women can be when they are finally

free to become themselves?" (395)

In Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011), Muhammad Hanif describes a marginalized female

who faces the class conflicts, religious hatred and lack of social acceptance due to her economic

conditions. This study helps to develop a better understanding of the patriarchal society and its

approach towards the women. It gives a proper channel to get the answers of all the possible

questions raised by the novelist in the text. The primary text revolves around a single character

that is marginalized for being a woman with no identity. The tenets of feminism help the

researcher to explain the situation considering all the possible points in the mind.

1.3 Aims and Objectives

 To find out the impacts of marginalization on the Protagonist of Our Lady of Alice Bhatti

(2011) taking men as absolute and women as subordinate to them

 To discover the consequences of marginalization of women in the text Our Lady of Alice

(2011) Bhatti by Muhammad Hanif under the theoretical framework of Simon De

Beauvoir’s views
 ALI 6

1.4 Research Questions

 How does the novel highlight the marginalized female protagonist as a part of suppressed

sections of society?

 How does the existential feminist theory of Simon De Beauvoir can be helpful in

exploring and settling the phenomenon of women suppression?

1.5 Significance of Research

This study focuses on the marginalization of women in the male society. This research is

unique as no one has discussed this topic under the umbrella of particular feministic concerns. It

discusses the oppression of women and its impact on society's moral and ethical values. . This

study helps to develop a better understanding about the patriarchal society and its approach

towards the women. It gives a proper channel to get the answers to all the possible questions

raised by the novelist in the text.

1.6 Delimitation

This dissertation is confined to the feminist study of Muhammad Hanif’s novel, Our Lady

of Alice Bhatti (2011) which sees the novel through the lens of existential feminism.

1.7 Chapterization

Besides the introduction, this research has a Literature review and forthcoming chapters

with the title of Research Methodology, Textual analysis of Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011), and

Conclusion in the end that sums up the arguments presented to explain the situation of women’s

otherness and their oppression in the society.

 ALI 7

Chapter 2:

Research Methodology

This chapter revolves around the critical approach and techniques applied in this

research. This chapter unlocks the devices of study by discussing research design, research tools,

and theoretical framework. All these devices have different functions. This chapter shows that

the research paper is argumentative and consists of a qualitative study which discusses the

marginalization of women, their subordination, and their treatment as slaves, and violation of

their basic rights in the society.

2.1 Research Design

This dissertation is based on the qualitative inquiry and analytical study of Our Lady of

Alice Bhatti (2011). It deals to explore the women oppression and its consequences on the social

development of women. This research is conducted under a specific theoretical framework to

understand the meaning beyond the writer's intentions.

2.2 Research Tools

This research uses characters, plot and language as a tool to portray the marginalization

and subordination of the women in the male dominant society.

2.3 Theoretical Framework

This research is descriptive and qualitative in nature. The main focus of this study is to

explore the feministic point of view and the consequences of patriarchy on the social life of

women in Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011) by Muhammad Hanif. The feminist views of Simon

de Beauvoir are used as the theoretical framework for this research work. She explains the
 ALI 8

subordination and oppression of the women in the patriarchal society. She talks about the basic

rights of the women in her famous book Second Sex (1952). She raises her voice for the right of

abortion, expression, dressing and against the domestic violence. In Second Sex (1952), she

portrays that women are often guilty or equally responsible for their subordination in the society.

Beauvoir doesn't give any reason behind women's oppression based on gender in a male

dominant world. Women are treated as subordinate to men in the society and they are given very

minor opportunities as compared to men. "Woman has always been, if not man's slave, at least

his vassal; the two sexes have never divided the world equally." (Beauvoir 29)

Beauvoir focuses on the worst social life of women. She portrays women as others. She

explains her identity by comparing her with the slaves, blacks, Jews and working class. She

discusses women as other and describes otherness as a form of originality. The best example she

gives is that Jews are other for anti-Semites. She explains that the slave is other of the master. In

vol. 1 of Second Sex (1952), Beauvoir explains that “Humanity is male and man defines woman

not in herself but as relative to him; she is not regarded as an autonomous being, she is defined

and differentiated with reference to man and not he with her reference to her; she is the

incidental, the inessential as opposed to the essential. He is the subject. He is the absolute. She is

the other.”

The most important aspect that Beauvoir discusses is the marriage. The marriage of a

woman is her destiny in the society. A woman is bound to marry just to get herself a new master.

Beauvoir throws light upon the fact that a woman faces many marital challenges throughout her

life. She has to compromise a lot in every situation. She has to fulfill the desires of her husband

no matter legitimate or not. A woman who tries to stand firm against the domestic violence is

labeled as a slut, outspoken and ill-mannered. According to Beauvoir, "There is a unanimous

 ALI 9

agreement that getting a husband-or in some cases a protector- is for her (woman) the most

important Undertaking… She will free herself from the parental home, for her mother’s hold, she

will upon up her future not only by active conquest but by delivering herself up, passive and

docile, in the hands of a new master.”(Beauvoir 352)

The analysis of the text is done under the theoretical assumptions of the Beauvoir which

helps to discuss the situation of women in the male-dominated society. It explores the women's

identity as the other.

 ALI 10

Chapter 3:

Literature Review

The term feminism has different uses or connotations. The roots of this school of thought

are connected to the earlier movements for women's rights in American and Britain. There are

many perspectives about this school of thought. Some writers refer to it with the political

movement in USA and Europe. On the other hand, some writers generally consider it as the

belief that raises voice against the women oppressions and injustices occurring in the society.

Feminism can be divided into two phases: The First Wave of Feminism and The Second Phase of

Feminism.

The earlier phase of feminism discusses the social and economic reforms that were

influenced by the Women's Rights and the Suffrage movement. The earlier phase of feminism is

concerned with the raising of voice for the women’s rights to vote and so on. Many feminist

writers wrote in the favor of women's right to vote. According to Susan B. Anthony in “On

Women’s Right to Vote”, "It was we, the people; not we, the white male citizens... who formed

the Union.” The first phase contains two prolific writers who discuss the issue of women rights

efficiently. Virginia Woolf and Simon de Beauvoir are among the early writers of feminist

literature.

Virginia Woolf is among the first writers who talk about the freedom of women. In one

of her writings A Room of One’s Own (1929), she discusses the social condition and their

marginalization in the society. She discusses the situations of the women in the society, how

they are treated, misbehaved, and radicalized by the male dominant society. In her views, a
 ALI 11

woman is considered as other parts of society who is less privileged. She talks about the women

and their rights in literature as well. “I would venture to guess that Anon, who wrote so many

poems without signing them, was often a woman.” (Woolf 41)

In second wave of feminism, the theorists talk about the sexual rights of women in the

society. They talk about their liberty to express themselves. It focuses the differences between

men and women based on biological aspects. The theorists of this era criticized this abuse of

women in the society. The most important theorists of this era include Kate Millet, Susan Gubar,

and Julia Kristevia.

The woman is considered as subordinate to men in the society throughout the history of

mankind. She is given the status of relative existence to man. The otherness of women does not

portray any sort of inferiority on the biological basis. Women’s as other reflects the thinking of

patriarchal society towards the treatment of women where they are deprived of their basic rights

and oppressed socially and individually. Benazir Bhutto in her autobiography explains the

stereotypes faced by the women due to their entity or gender. She explains the thinking of this

patriarchal world for the women. “Women were singled out for exclusion in all aspects of

society. At some official functions, the guests began to be divided by sex, even the highest-

ranking women being separated from their male colleagues."(Bhutto 32)

Feminists emphasize the equal rights of both men and women in the society. It demands

equal opportunities, rights and status for the women as a male person cherish in the society.

Women are facing marginalization in the society throughout the history. They are deprived of

their basic rights, freedom and power and are suppressed by the male dominant society. It has

been written in many texts, articles and journals that how women are being treated in a male
 ALI 12

dominant society. According to Betty Friedan, “Who knows what women can be when they are

finally free to become themselves?” (Friedan 395)

Pride and Prejudice (1813) is the most influential work towards discussing feminism in

the society. In this novel, Jane Austen, has discussed all the hurdles that a woman faces in the

society due to her economic, social, and biological conditions. She portrays the problems faced

by the women in the society through a social satire. In her novel, she explains the situation of her

era and the problems of women, particularly of marriage. They were dependent on the man for

their survival and therefore, marriage was the ultimate relief for them in that era. Jane Austen

raises questions on this dependency of women on men. Women get fewer opportunities as

compared to men; they enjoy less social status and are marginalized due to their gender, class

and creed also.

Jane Austen discusses the violation of the basic rights of women by the society in many

ways. She throws light on the issue of marriage for the property without the will and love of the

woman for the certain person. She says that the women were not free to choose their spouse

because they were married based on the wealth of the male person to help the woman

economically. According to Austen, “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in

possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”(Austen 1)

This shows the less privileged status of women in the society where they are bound to

marry a wealthy male who can support them financially. They can't get the due respect in the

society due to their own existence. They are treated relevant to the man. This shows the absolute

position of the male member in the society and the woman is treated relevant to him as another

entity.
 ALI 13

Arundhati Roy is a famous feminist writer who has portrayed the condition of

domestically oppressed women in her writings. She talks a lot about the rights of the women in

the society equal to that of the men. She is considered as a forefather in Indian literature who

talks about the social crisis, suppression and violation against the women in the society. She

explains all the challenges faced by the women in the society very bravely and bluntly. The God

of Small Things (1997) is her masterpiece that portrays the criminal behavior of the society

towards the women.

The God of Small Things (1997) is a realistic novel that explains the domestic conditions

of the women in the society. It discusses the concerns, hardships, hatred, oppression that a

woman faces in the society. It also talks about the troubles faced by women from their own

family members. It shows the constant struggle of a woman for her survival in the society. The

novel also talks about the identity crisis of the women in a patriarchal society. The novel depicts

the subordination of women and men as absolute entity in the society. The physical abuse, sexual

harassment and identity crisis are the major themes of the novel.

“Papachi is an orthodox, jealous husband. He is a fanatic who terrorizes his own family.

He is a habitual wife-beater hits his wife pitilessly either with a brass vase” (Roy 50). This shows

the identity of women as subordinate and personal property of men. The suppressed marital

conditions of women are also portrayed in this quote. She can’t express her feelings, her

emotions and love. She is treated ruthlessly by the fanatic male partner. According to Beauvoir

“Marriage is a destiny traditionally offered to women by the society” (Beauvoir 445). This is

evidence that how women are treated in a patriarchal society where the domestic abuse,

oppression and many other challenges make them fragile.

 ALI 14

Bapsi Sidhwa is a major figure in Pakistan's literature. She is considered one of the best

writers of the era. In her writings, she has discussed the social hurdles of the society. The major

themes of her writings include the partition crisis, domestic violation, injustice happening in the

society, and many more. She lays a lot of stress on women rights in her novels. The aspect of

feminism is very much evident in her writings.

In The Pakistani Bride (1983), she highlights many problems of women in a very

comprehensive way. She discusses the abuse of women on workplace, rape, honour killings and

many other incidents that portray the condition of women in a patriarchal society. Bapsi Sidhwa

is one of those writers who started to discuss the determined women, those women who don't

imprison themselves in the social barriers and raise voices for their rights. "Women the word

over, through the ages, asked to be murdered, raped, exploited, enslaved, to get importunately

impregnated, beaten up, bullied and disinherited.”(Sidhwa 226)

In her masterpiece Ice Candy Man (1988), Sidhwa portrays the hardship of a woman that

she faces throughout her life. She wants to see a world where every sex gets equal rights. She

wants to see a society in the chaos of dominance, power, class system and gender discrimination

doesn’t exist. In Ice Candy Man (1988), Sidhwa discusses the feministic concerns through the

character of Lenny. Throughout the novel, she faces many abuses, oppressions and vulgarity

from the society. Sidhwa portrays the women as a toy for sexual pleasure in her writings. She

discusses the marginalization, subordination, exploitation and abuse of the women in the male

dominant society.

Daniyal Mueenuddin is the Pakistani-American writer. He is famous for his short stories

collection In Other Rooms, Other Wonders (2009). He has won many prizes due to this
 ALI 15

collection. The prizes include The Story Prize, the Commonwealth Writer's Prize and many

more. In his collection of short stories, he portrays the condition of the females in the society that

is dominated by the patriarchal mindset. Through the character of Saleema, he explains the

problems faced by the women in the society. Daniyal portrays Saleema as a slut who sleeps

around with different people just to fulfill her needs. She faces the brutality of this patriarchal

world and compromises her dignity for the sake of survival. This is of every woman living in the

society where her basic rights are curbed, the violation is caused and many other gender-related

crimes are forced on her.

Apart from feminism the novel Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011) has been analyzed from

many other perspectives too. Many researchers have studied the novel using Karl Marx's

theoretical framework. The unequal distribution of resources, unequal treatment on the basis of

class, colour and creed are among the most talked about topics of the novel.

The society explained in the text explains the current situation of Pakistan. The patriarchy

and the capitalist class dominate the society clinching upon the rights of women and proletarians.

In the society there are separate rules, laws and principles for the Bourgeois and Proletarians. All

the restrictions in the society are for the poor. They have to face the ruthless oppression of the

class or individual who possesses all the means of production. There is not any single day when

Alice doesn't face the oppression, humiliation and is gazed at as a worm due to her economic

situation. Muhammad Hanif explains the situation of the poor through the VIP culture of the

hospital. The same thought process is evident in the whole society where the rich and poor are

treated differently. He tries to draw a reasonable comparison between the poor and the rich in

society. Through miserable situation of poor patients, he emphasizes the difference of the class

and their treatment in the society according to that. The section of the hospital where the poor
 ALI 16

patients are kept is messy, water runs on the floors, the smell of urine stings, dust and spider web

haunts the staff. While the wards or rooms for the rich people are neat, decorated with flowers

and entertained with LEDs for the patients. This shows the contrast between the rich and the

poor.

The novel primarily shows the conflict between the rich and poor. The difference of

religion and hatred due to it is also visible in it. It is very difficult to analyze the text at first

because there are multiple themes discussed by the author in it. The class struggle, religious

hatred, feminism, patriarchal society and its consequences are among the themes. This novel

emphasizes the quotes of Karl Marx about the capitalist society and the oppression of the

working class.

This research is about the women’s subordination and their oppression in the society. It

aims at exploring women’s marginalized status with special reference to Simon De Beauvoir’s

theory to make the reader well aware about the women rights and their violation. The research

focuses on the lunatic behavior of Pakistani society that causes troubles for the women in the

society. It discusses the women as other and subordinate to men and gives the solid suggestions

to avoid the oppression of women in the patriarchal society.

 ALI 17

Chapter 4:

Discussion

Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011) is a cultural novel. In this novel Muhammad Hanif

portrays the traditional customs, norms and values of the society. It is a story of love between a

young Christian nurse and a former Mr. Faisalabad, Teddy Butt, who works for Karachi police.

In this novel the author explains the troubles of the Christian communities through the character

of Alice Bhatti. He explains the class conflict, the concept of haves and haves-not, and their

consequences.

The whole novel revolves around a young Christian girl who has just been released from

Brostal prison. She is from a minority community that's why she faces many challenges in the

society. She faces many gender-related problems in the society. Throughout the novel she faces

discrimination, sexual violence, patriarchal heat and many other challenges. This novel explains

the sheer problems of women living in current male dominant society where she has to face rape

attempts, honor killings, beatings and crimes like these. Alice the protagonist is a brave girl who

tries to earn her livelihood by working at a hospital but she faces those typical patriarchal

problems there. Hanif explains the challenges that a working woman faces at workplace and in

the society through this text. He tends to explain all the possible problems faced by a woman in

the patriarchal world.

The novel opens up with a young Christian girl just released from the jail. She needs a

job for her survival that she gets at Sacred Heart Hospital for All Ailments of Karachi with the

help of her friend Noor. She met him at Borstal jail. She faces many difficulties at the workplace
 ALI 18

from the beginning. When she goes for the interview at Sacred she faces harassment there. "His

eyes are level with Alice Bhatti’s breasts (Hanif 11). This shows Alice’s hurdles as a working

woman in the society. Alice's Bhatti's character in the novel makes it crystal clear that the

women are a subject of sexual pleasure in this society and they are only treated to get pleasure

from their body and nothing matters in this approach of the society. They have not been treated

well their skills, experience and competencies are of no use what matters the most is their body

for seeking pleasure.

According to Beauvoir, women are just the flesh upon which the lunatic dogs are fed. She

says that women are treated as the source of pleasure by this patriarchal society. She terms

woman as the other identity from which the absolute gets amused. She also comes across many

challenges as being a person from the lower or working class. She cannot afford her conveyance;

therefore, she has to travel through public transport. She needs protection as being a working

woman in the male dominant society. She faces sexual harassment throughout her whole life.

Sometimes she perceives her physical appearance as a curse as it attracted the wrong man that

made her more vulnerable to sexual abuse. This makes her feel like a toy through which

everyone can get pleasure.

Along with this sexual harassment, Hanif also highlights the poor condition of women in

a hostile environment, where male dignity and honour are connected with women’s physique.

Males consider it their privilege to treat a woman as their property. This shows that woman is

considered as subordinate in the society. She is considered as the source of relief in the society.

The absolute entity is the male. It is immoral to treat the woman as a source of pleasure despite

her emotions, sentiments and her competencies. Women are murdered in the name of honour in

the society. Women are only considered as the marginalized group of the society that can be used
 ALI 19

on anyone’s will to seek his personal pleasure out of them. A woman is often used as an entity to

compensate for things. She is considered as a possession that is returned in society which

continues to organize her body. She is also presented as blood money to compensate for murder

between different groups of society. There exists another marriage transaction which is watta

satta, in which a woman is exchanged by another. All these cases show subordinate place of a

woman in the male dominant society. Similarly, Alice also faces same conditions in this text.

When Alice was working in the sacred hospital, she came across many incidents of

honour killings, shooting, hacking, stifled, dangled or buried alive. Hanif portrays Alice and all

other women as property and lifetime servants. He also says that women are treated by men as

their own possessions that give birth to their children, prepare food for them, and fulfill their

sexual desires. For a long time, women have been considered a cook, a breeder and a slut. They

are considered as dummies and men are there to tighten up their cords as they are portrayed as

the masters in the society. They are often treated as neglected beings. No one care for them, they

suffer domestic violations, sexual abuses and other common problems every now and then.

There is no law; no politics, no religion, no culture and tradition to secure them but all exist for

the deterioration of women.

Women can't live freely in any society due to the harassment and hatred towards them.

They have to take certain steps to protect themselves in the society. They face many fanatics,

lunatic men in the society those cause troubles for them in the workplace of generally in the

public places. Alice in novel tries her best not to maintain a safe distance from men in the

society despite that she faces sexual harassment throughout the novel. She is often treated as the

other entity and regarded as a left over from the absolute. The novel shows the violence against

women in the society from the description of Alice’s character. She was forced for oral sex with
 ALI 20

a landlady’s son at the sacred hospital. At every turn in the novel, Alice comes across the

distortions and corruption that depict the corrupt Pakistani society. She faces molestation at the

VIP ward of the hospital. Alice Bhatti is harassed sexually at gunpoint by the lady's younger son

in the VIP room. “He pins her down with one hand and pulls out a revolver from under his shirt.

“Suck,” he says in a low voice, as if asking for another slice of cake, waving his revolver toward

his crotch.”(Hanif 50)

This is the prime example of sexual abuse that women face at the workplace. They are

not given due respect in any field of life. Women come across the sexual abuse, their rights are

curbed and their professional services get destroyed by the male extremists in the society.

Women are harassed at the workplace as they are considered as an opportunity to lash upon. The

above mentioned quote explains that a woman is just a piece of flesh for the society her services,

skills, and competencies are of no use. They are considered as the personal property by the

lunatic men who can be deployed at the time of need. A woman is needed to seek sexual

pleasure, to get rid of frustration. She never enjoys her autonomy in society. She is treated

merely as an option for the dominant mindset of patriarchy. Similar is the situation in the case of

Alice Bhatti whose profession is not respected and she is used as a toy to seek pleasure by the

society. According to Beauvior, "A long line of thinkers has insisted on stabilizing woman as

object, on dooming her to immanence, to a life of subjection to a given condition, on barring her

from property rights, education, and the professions." (Beauvoir 18)

It is more than fact that females undergo unceasing torture, hopelessness, and threats

from their family members as well as from the society which makes the conditions even worse

for their survival and utilization of their competencies at the workplace. It is also visible in the

novel that men are the main reason behind women’s destruction of mental peace and loss of
 ALI 21

confidence and a feeling of uselessness. It seems that the system of the world is established for

the men by the men. The roots and base of the patriarchy are very strong that can’t be reversed

too easily from the society. It is in the mentality of the men to treat women as their slaves and to

get them used for their relief and pleasure.

A woman faces many restrictions that a society set for her. She is abandoned from her

basic rights. There is no free will of women in a patriarchal society. She can't have any ambition

to fulfill, any motive of life. Moreover, she can't survive alone in today's world due to hatred for

them. Their consent is of no use because things are imposed upon them forcefully. For centuries

women are considered subordinate to men in traditional social norms, the patriarchal norms give

men the leverage over women in all important walks of life and it is because of such traditions

and customs that the women are considered weaklings and are kept as subordinate to men.

Hanif depicts the worst situation of Pakistani society where religious discrimination is at

the peak, minorities feel disgusted, women are brutally murdered and are discriminated against

on the basis of gender and are physically and psychologically tortured, and faces professional

problems at the workplace, and marital problems is the huge concern about women’s survival in

the society. Hanif tries to explain that women in most of the patriarchal societies are considered

as others, and through a very calculated way their psyches are so developed from the very

childhood that they consider themselves inferior to male members of the society. It is evident

from the various aspects of the novel that the inferiority complex becomes a major obstacle in

the way of attaining their rights in the society where they are considered as a liability to seek

pleasure at the desired time. They are not given their freedom. It is in the mentality of the men to

impose their will upon the women. Hanif portrays this aspect in a beautiful way to make the
 ALI 22

society realize the worst situation of the women. “At Alice’s refusal to the junior man at the VIP

room, she is subjected to physical violence on gun point”. (Hanif 60)

If a woman tries to resist any sort of harassment, she is subjected to violence. She faces

brutal beatings, acid attacks and many other problems existing in the society. It is the dilemma of

the society to treat the woman as a source of pleasure and to get rid of the frustration. There are

many examples of women’s exploitations happening in the society. Women are just considered

tools for sexual satisfaction. According to Beauvoir, “as privileged other” through whom the

subject (Man) fulfills himself (Beauvoir 233).

The most common situations of oppression against women include honor-killing,

domestic violence, commodity exchange for murder, and many more. Women are murdered or

tortured physically for their boldness beyond the stereotype subordinate role. In patriarchal

societies like the Pakistani society women go through double marginalization; sometimes due to

their gender and sometimes due to their social position in the community. The patriarchal culture

treats women as inferior to men and tends to push females to subordinate positions. They face

marital problems, first to get married and then their responsibility to manage everything to get it

going. Women are considered inferior to their sons and are deprived of their basic rights and

after their marriage; they are supposed to serve their husbands without question. Hina Alvi while

talking to Alice about the marital problems tells her that she married three times and twice to the

same person but she couldn't get it going because men don't try to understand the problems

related to females. In a patriarchal society, it is usual that women are the subordinate of men and

they must obey their orders and they have no right to express themselves or to question any of

men’s decisions. It is something that remains in the subconscious of all men even if they do not

express it in explicit terms.

 ALI 23

Women’s boldness causes the revengeful attitude of a husband towards her. In a

patriarchal society, a woman is treated as a private property of her husband. The woman is not

given an equal status but taken as a privilege that fulfill the husband’s wills. In today's society all

the resources and powers are in the hands of the men. They impose their will on the family they

are running and keep the society and the power of decision in their own hands. Women face

suppression from their legal rights and opportunities due to their gender. The patriarchal values

restrict women's mobility; reject their freedom and consider them subordinate to themselves.

Women's subordination refers to women's lower status in society relative to men, as well as their

lack of access to resources and decision-making power. The myth of women's subordination is

fueled by feelings of powerlessness, prejudice, and a lack of self-esteem and self-confidence.

This demonstrates that women's subordination occurs in a power dynamic in which men control

women.

Muhammad Hanif portrays the similar idea in the text to educate the readers about the

problems of women in the society. He explains the marital stigma through the characters of Hina

Alvi and Alice Bhatti to make his views loud and clear. Women are treated as an entity from

which the society gets all sorts of comforts, firstly they are deprived of their property rights, right

to get proper education and then they are treated as slaves by their husbands. They live as

puppets in the hands of the patriarchal values. A woman is considered as a sole property of her

husband and she is not allowed to have her own will and desires. According to Hanif, “I just

want to make sure that if I can’t have her, then nobody should be able to have her. Is that not

fair? (Hanif 169). In her book The Second Sex (1952), Beauvoir expresses this viewpoint,

claiming that a woman has no will. Her father treats her like a toy, and later her husband does the
 ALI 24

same. This point clears the thought of women’s discrimination and their oppression in the

society.

Women face a very harsh attitude towards them due to their boldness, due to getting rid

of the stereotypes and society labels them a sluts, whores and rebels. They come across many

challenges due to their practice of basic humanitarian rights. Patriarchy treats them as mere

slaves who have no choice and feelings; they are just subordinate to men to serve them without

questioning. Alice Bhatti faces this stigma throughout the novel. She is humiliated at work, by

her husband; her colleagues insult her and stare her up and down with lust. Muhammad Hanif

explains the saddened condition of the society through the character of Alice Bhatti.

Teddy butt, Alice’s husband murders her in the ending scenes of the novel due to her

boldness and infidelity. Alice gets killed without being given a chance to explain her self that

shows how pathetic situation of women is in the society. They are just puppets in the hands of

men. They are not given any second chance whatsoever to clarify the things. Hanif depicts the

idea of honour killings, rapes, molestation, beatings throughout the novel and the protagonist

also goes through this. Teddy Butt considers Alice as his sole property. He attacks her with acid

on the advice of his colleague. "You need to give her something she will never forget. Never. He

points toward a glass cupboard with a double lock. The label above the cupboard reads

Hazardous Material”. (Hanif 169). This shows the worst condition of the society for the women.

They are treated as a slave with no will. They are considered as subordinate to men. This very

concept is portrayed by Beauvoir as “she herself was property, first of her father and then of her

husband”. (Beauvoir 75)

 ALI 25

Muhammad Hanif depicts the reasons in the novel that explains why women are

considered as the other entity in the society through the character of Alice Bhatti. He tends to

portray all the possible situations that a woman faces in the community which serves as a basic

step to label her a subordinate or other personality of the society. According to Beauvoir, a

female is a female due to the lack of some qualities and naturally, her personality is affiliated

with some natural defects. The similar situation is explained by the novelist in the text. He

portrays the incident of Alice’s at the Hospital. Alice’s weak and fragile nervous system breaks

down when she presumes duty at Charya ward of mad men. “Alice Bhatti looks at her keys and

tries to hide her nervousness behind a polite smile”. (Hanif 33).A woman feels herself inferior to

men due to lack of some masculine characteristics as per Beauvoir’s view “the woman feels

herself to be a mutilated man suffering from penis envy”. (Beauvoir 39).

Women’s dependence and feeling of security attached with men is also a cause of

women’s otherness. The concept of peace and security is attached to marital life causes many

problems for the women to survive in the patriarchal society. Hanif depicts that marriage is a

tactic of survival for Alice in the male dominant society. In Alice’s views marriage can give the

woman a respectful status in the community but her husband turned as her killer. This shows that

the mind set of being dependent upon anyone causes a lot of pain. Though she wanted marriage

for a respectable status in society to save her from lustful stares of men, these efforts became

fruitless. The irony of situation is that the fate laughs at Alice’s useless assumption. Alice’s

savior turned into a killer. In a patriarchal culture, men perform their roles such as a killer, rapist,

and a dictator who dictates women on every issue. Alice feels herself secure in her husband’s

presence.
 ALI 26

Hanif tells an incident when Alice goes on an outing with her husband, she feels herself

secure more than ever with him. This indicates that she accepts her subordinate status. She

seemed to be at ease relying on Teddy Butt socially, monetarily, and psychologically. According

to Beauvoir, “Another contributory factor to women’s subordination is her own reluctance to

forgo the traditional advantages conferred on them by their protective male superiors”. (Beauvoir

21)

Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011) is a master piece by Muhammad Hanif. In the novel, he

depicts hurdles that come across a working woman in the male dominant society. He explains the

marginalization of women, their otherness and sexual abuse in a most effective way.
 ALI 27

Chapter 5:

Conclusion

The feministic analysis of Muhammad Hanif’s novel Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011) in the light

of Simon de Beauvoir’s (1952) views provides a comprehensive description of women’s

otherness through the character of Alice Bhatti. This dissertation explains the core reasons for

women's subordination and their otherness. The most often situations that a woman faces during

her lifetime includes sexual harassment, discrimination, physical violence, socio-economic

exploitation, patriarchal abuse and no decision-making power. Alice faces all these issues

throughout her life. The physical abuse starts at the sacred hospital when she went for a job

interview there. She faces sexual abuse in the VIP ward of sacred. Teddy Butt’s suspicion over

her fidelity and his negligence towards her rights and his own responsibilities show the

subordinate status of Alice. The majority of the reasons for Alice's otherness have been

discovered to be her anatomy, women's parasitic need on men, and her terrible economic

circumstances, Lack of recognition at the workplace or in the society, male-dominance factor,

underestimation, psychological inferiority and patriarchy. The study shows that all the factors of

Alice’s otherness can be overcome but patriarchy remains an immoveable source of Alice’s

oppression.

Our Lady of Alice Bhatti (2011) reveals that women face many issues in the society.

These issues are the reasons for women’s oppression and marginalization which turns into their

feeling of otherness in the community. Apart from this, the novel also discusses the treatment of

women and the behavior of men towards them in the society. The present study portrays the
 ALI 28

marginalization and otherness of women in a patriarchal society to create awareness among the

people to eradicate this evil. This research also explains the imperative features connected to the

existence of women. This research tends to discuss the patriarchal values in a convincing way

that explains the social stereotype in a most understanding way. Despite the marginalization of

women their otherness is also discussed in this work. The novel also explains the minorities and

the uneven distribution of resources in the novel. The dissertation includes the critical evaluation

of selfishness, marginalization, sexual abuse, patriarchy and otherness of the women in the

society.

The patriarchal values keep the women at subordinate positions in the society and left no

chance to exploit them. Hanif observes the status of women in the society beautifully and most

convincingly which creates a sense of understanding among the readers about the

marginalization of the women at the most basic step of a community. The reasons that serve as a

building block towards the subordination of the women and their treatment as the other entity of

the society are discussed in the text and the analysis is full of such references. This research

shows how women are kept away from their basic legal rights. It is more than often that the

women faces menaces, sexual abuse, honor killings from the society as well as from their own

families.
 ALI 29

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ALI 31